560 [May 7, 



brane, and in one experiment had allowed the animal to live for ten 

 days. It had fed in an ordinary manner every day, and when killed, 

 reparation was found in an advanced stage towards completion, the 

 walls opposite the denuded part having been considerably thickened 

 by new matter that had been thrown out. 



Upon much further extended observation the author found that 

 the standard he had taken from the rabbit, as regarded the post- 

 mortem action of the contents of the stomach upon the organ itself, 

 was not just in its application to the dog. Actual experiment on the 

 dog had shown that upon the animal being killed at a period of full 

 digestion, and its temperature being afterwards maintained about the 

 degree belonging to life, the effect at the end of five and six hours 

 only amounted to more or less digestion of the mucous membrane. 

 In the rabbit, under similar circumstances, the effect had gone on to 

 perforation, on account, apparently, of the stronger acidity of the 

 gastric contents. In reality, then, the effect of arresting the circula- 

 tion through the stomach during life, about coincided in both rabbit 

 and dog with what occurred, other circumstances being equal, after 

 death. 



As a counterpart to the experiments originally mentioned, where 

 dilute non-corrosive acids had been introduced into the stomach of 

 the dog, and the flow of blood through the organ afterwards arrested, 

 an operation that was followed by comparatively rapid perforation, 

 the author had used the same acids, in the same quantities, and 

 similarly diluted, but the circulation was allowed to remain free, and 

 now the stomach resisted digestive attack. Ligatures had of course 

 been applied to secure the retention of the acid liquid introduced. 



A mode of experimenting suggested by Dr. Sharpey had been 

 undertaken. After an incision through the anterior wall of the sto- 

 mach, a portion of the posterior wall had been drawn forward, and a 

 ligature placed tightly around it, so as thus to arrest the circulation 

 through a limited portion of the organ's parietes. It was found that 

 this constricted mass underwent digestion like a morsel of food. 



An experiment had been performed bearing on the explanation 

 that had been given to account for the attack upon the living frog's 

 legs and rabbit's ear by digestion whilst the stomach remained pro- 

 tected. Three drachms of muriatic acid, diluted to three ounces 

 with water, were introduced into the stomach of a dog, and the end 



